Search Results for: menton lynch

Il Pesce Eataly Boston - Barbara Lynch

April 3, 2017 by Jennifer Che

Il Pesce Eataly Boston

It's been a long, long wait for Bostonians who have been waiting for EATALY by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. The construction alone took about a year as we all waited in anticipation for the transformation of an old, boring mall foodcourt into the Italian marketplace and restaurant emporium known as EATALY.

When EATALY finally opened in November 2016, the place was mobbed. People swarmed through the various aisles, checking out authentic Italian cured meats, cookies, dried pastas, and much, much more. They couldn't get enough of the cappuccino shop, gelato stand, or the freshly fried potato chips at the front.

Good luck trying to grab dinner there during peak hours. Lines for most restaurants were quite long.

During our first visit, we wandered around the open food area in the middle, where seating is available on a first come first serve "grab it if you see it" model. It looked pretty hopeless.

After giving up there, we approached one of the several sit-down restaurants, Il Pesce by Barbara Lynch. By this time, around 9:30PM, the crowds had thinned a bit, though the wait for a seat was still around 10 minutes (not so bad!). Finally, after waiting just 5 minutes or so, we were seated!...

Menton {Snapshot}

July 31, 2013 by Jennifer Che

This is a {Snapshot} of Menton.

I first wrote about this place when I visited for my 9th wedding anniversary. Since then, I've had the opportunity to go back several times: once for the Eleven Madison Park book tour (where Daniel Humm came and cooked from his book!), and once for the white alba truffle tasting for my birthday (one of the few nice things about having a birthday in November).

So what made me come back?

One of my friends loves watching Top Chef. He's a huge fan of Kristen Kish, the extremely talented chef/contestant who won Top Chef Seattle in 2012. Kristen was initially eliminated halfway through the show during an episode call "Restaurant Wars." She made her way back into the running by first winning "Last Chance Kitchen", and then winning the entire competition.

Kristen Kish has been working at Stir in Boston, Barbara Lynch's private dining space where one can watch cooking demonstrations and book private cooking classes with chefs.

Just recently, Kristen started working at Menton as the Chef de Cuisine.

The moment my friend found this out, he booked a reservation for six of us at Menton.

Turns out he was just a bit too hasty.

Sure, Kristen had officially started in early June, but we were soon told (after sitting down at the restaurant), that Kristen would be going through an 8-week rigorous training program to learn "how we do things at Menton." She'll rotate through every single "station" so she can really understand the inner workings of the restaurant. Perhaps in a few months she'll start designing certain dishes, and at some point (hopefully), her menus will start showing up

Ah bummer.

All was not lost, of course.

Menton has always had fabulous food, and I've never had a bad meal there. So, please enjoy this "snapshot" of the lovely tasting menu we did enjoy that warm, summer evening in June.

At Menton, they always start you off with their signature bite: Farro Salmon with sesame tuile topped with caviar. It's a delightful bite, a perfect way to whet the appetite.

On top of the pebbles are Sweet Cookie Macarons made with goat cheese. Though I don't typically love goat cheese, this bite was actually my favorite. I loved the sweet and savory combo.
Corn Madeleines topped with caviar were whimsically served on a bed of corn kernels.

Cheese Gougeres were the fourth little bite - tasty, though nothing particularly mind blowing.

And then the actual amuse bouche came. I loved it - a chilled and creamy Ramp Vichyssoise topped with fried crispy ramps. It was intense, super garlicky, and absolutely delicious. I wished for more.

The bread is irresistible at Menton, and I quickly polished off this delicate little mini-croissant, which tasted oh-so-good with the butter.

The first course was Bluefin Tuna with royal white sturgeon caviar and sliced radishes. Compared to top sushi places, the quality of the fish was pretty average. However, the overall dish was decent, with grapefruit being the dominant flavor that bound everything together.
Next was Parsnip Risotto, which was served with Jonah crab, fried capers, and topped with a fried parsley chip. The risotto was intensely rich and buttery. Thankfully the tart capers along with the Trimball dry muscat with which it was paired cut the richness.

A gorgeously seared Striped Bass was next, served with mini potatoes, morel mushrooms, stinging nettle purée, and salad greens tossed in vinaigrette.

Then came a single Ravioli (filled with a sunny side up egg!) and topped with a speck crumble and fresh peas.

The waiter poured speck consommé tableside.

We didn't love this dish. The balance just was not quite right. There was too much egg yolk and not enough umami in the rest of the dish. Perhaps it was underseasoned?
I opted out of this course, but everyone else at the table had the Seared Foie Gras which came with cherry gastrique, a bing cherry, and an almond-crusted brioche. Looking at their happy faces, I'm pretty sure it was really, really good.

Here's another view of it.

I asked for a foie gras substitute, and they gave me this phyllo-wrapped Langoustine served over pea purée and topped with pickled rhubarb. The langoustine was sweet and the dish was good, but it did not blow me away. I'm guessing the foie gras was a much more memorable dish.

The next course was the Duck, which was cooked absolutely perfectly, It came with huckleberry, liver purée, and duck tongue.

I opted out of duck, so for my last course they gave me Air-Chilled Poulet (chicken) which came with pan-fried French gnocchi and fava beans. The flavors were intense and very rich. The dark colored jus had a ton of umami. It was very flavorful and quite good, though a part of me looked longingly at Bryan's duck dish, which had bright elements like huckleberry to cut the umami.

The last course was Veal, which came with artichoke, creamy celeriac, mustarda, fried sweetbreads with some kind of fruit, and celery. The veal was ever-so-slightly cooked a bit more than we preferred. Otherwise, the flavors came together pretty well in this dish.

We cleansed our palates with a lovely Bing Cherry House Made Soda, which was topped with basil vanilla glacé (ice cream).

For dessert we had the most perfect little Sticky Bun, which was served with fromage blanc caramelized honey ice cream, oat whipped cream, oat crumble, and fresh apricot. I'm not usually a big fan of sticky buns, but all the components in this dessert came together so perfectly, I found myself quickly finishing this fantastic dessert.

Of course, one dessert is never enough. They then brought over several little candies, such as chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, salt water peppermint taffy, and strawberry rhubarb bars.

And finally - to close off the night - hibiscus, sassafras, and tarragon macarons.

Though we didn't get to taste Kristen's creations, we still had a wonderful evening.

It was fun to sit by the window on a warm Sunday evening chilling with friends while eating great food. Looking back, I think my favorites bites this meal would be the Sweet Cookie Macarons, Ramp Vichyssoise (but then I do have a soft spot for ramps), and the Sticky Bun. Sort of an odd assortment, I guess. Perhaps that's what happens when you try to make substitutions to a tasting menu.

Lesson learned. I'll let them control the tasting menu from now on.

Can't wait to see what new dishes Kristen dreams up once she starts creating dishes and menus at Menton!

Menton
354 Congress St.
Boston, MA 02210

Eleven Madison Park "Tour" at Menton

April 13, 2012 by Jennifer Che

This is so not your ordinary cookbook.

And most certainly not your typical cookbook tour.

What other (newly minted!) three-star Michelin chef has toured the country, cooking from his book at fine restaurants around the world?

It is seriously a treat for us Bostonians to be able to sample taste of Daniel Humm's creations from his new cookbook, the Eleven Madison Park Cookbook, a compilation of dishes from his award winning restaurant in New York.

Back in December, for one day only, Daniel Humm took over the kitchen at Menton. Together with a huge team including folks from both Eleven Madison Park and Menton, Humm prepared an unforgettable four-course meal consisting of dishes from his new cookbook.

In anticipation of this event, Menton's general manager Alec Riviero said, "this is probably one of the biggest evenings we are going to have here this year."

Here's our write-up, complete with many, many exclusive peeks inside the kitchen (Yes! Bryan and I had the great honor of sitting at the Chef's Table during this fantastic event!).

What's the Chef's Table?

The Chef's Table is a very special table in a small, cozy room inside the kitchen at Menton. You get upfront views of the kitchen in action. It's fascinating to see all the individual steps that go into such a production.

On this special day, as we walked through the kitchen to the Chef's Table, we observed dozens of people hard at work. Above, you can see Colin Lynch (executive chef at Menton) at left and Daniel Humm at right.

We mingled with glasses of champagne, enjoying fantastic little bites of passed hors d'oeuvres, such as white truffle risotto on spoons (absolutely heavenly!!!), mini housemade crackers topped with salmon and caviar (delicious!), and many others, not all of which I had a chance to try!

We entered the room with the Chef's Table, and continued to be mesmerized by the scene in the kitchen. It's seriously incredible to watch these folks. You really learn to appreciate your food that much more when you see all the effort that goes into it.

Soon, beautiful, hot buttery croissants came our way. I think the bread for the evening came from Menton, and it was excellent.

If you've ever been to Eleven Madison Park, you'd know that Daniel Humm's menus are different from most other menus. The courses are inspired by ingredients, and that's all you see when you get the menu. For a four course, you just choose four "elements", such as "oyster, cauliflower, pork, and lemon." You then proceed to be delightfully surprised, course by course.

The four courses we had that night were similarly named, although they did give us a little extra explanation for the dishes, something that can always be done verbally at Eleven Madison Park if requested.

Chef Humm came into the room after the meal began and greeted us all, introducing us to his tour, his book, and his restaurant. You can see him with Will Guidara, general manager at Eleven Madison Park and also co-author of the cookbook, as well as Barbara Lynch, chef-owner of Menton.

"Way early on when I came to New York we did a charity dinner in NY for Share our Strength and that's how I met Barbara. Right away we clicked."

When we planned the cookbook tour Barbara invited us and for us it was a no-brainer. We are honored to be able to present our book here in Boston."

And then back into the kitchen they went . .

I love this moment that I caught. There was a young (13-year old) apprentice in the kitchen, the son of a good friend of Chef Barbara Lynch. He showed an interest in cooking at a young age and Chef Lynch decided to take him under his wing. He was in the kitchen the entire night. His mom dined at the Chef's Table with us, cheering him on.

You wonder what kind of sage advice Chef Humm is telling the boy . . .

The Courses
When asked how he chose what courses to cook, Humm said "it’s just our favorite dishes, and all of our dishes are from the book."

Will Guidara further added, "[t]he book is organized seasonally, so where this tour fell we were obviously looking at the second half of the book. And for [Daniel], it’s obviously a chance for him to show the different cities what we’re all about."

Here's the winter menu!

Langoustin
Marinated with Celeriac and Green Apple
2010 Donnhoff Riesling "Estate"

Lobster
Poached with Bergamot and Celery
2009 Domaine du Bagnol Cassis Blanc

Cauliflower
Roasted with Grapes, Almonds, and Curry
2004 Trimbach Pinot Gris "Reserve Personelle"

Putting finishing touches on the last course . . .

Chicken
Slow-Cooked with Truffles, Butternut Squash, Parsnips, and Cabbage
2009 Rion Vosne-Romanee

You can't tell from the photo, but the preparation of this chicken is really quite impressive. There is a full but thin layer of black truffles stuffed between the chicken and the skin. Can you imagine how labor-intensive that is?

The Food
I can't remember the details anymore, but I do remember that every single dish was absolutely phenomenal. Interesting and complex flavor combinations, intriguing textural nuances, and excellent execution of all the dishes - it was all there. This was definitely one of the best meals we'd enjoyed in Boston.

Prepping the beignets.

Sweet Potato
Beignet with Chocolate and Chestnut Honey
NV Rare Wine Company Madeira "Boston Bual"
This was a lovely surprise and one of my favorite desserts of the evening! Surprise! Yes! It's what you think it is! It's a chocolate bonbon with a black truffle on top. It surprisingly works really really well. I even asked Chef Humm whether this peculiar bonbon was in the cookbook, and he assured me it was.

Really?? But where would I find such gorgeous truffles?

And then, finally, finally, the crazy commotion in the kitchen began to die down.

The last dish had gone out.

They were finally done.

The chefs all celebrated as they breathed a sigh of relief after working under intense pressure for the last four hours.

Chef Humm gathered all the assisting chefs together for a short talk. He commended them on the great work they did today, and he added a bit of advice about the career path in general. It's a tough road, he acknowledged, but he encouraged them to keep at it.

He was kind, humble, charming, and really inspiring.
And then it was time to really celebrate! Beers and pizza magically appeared and multiplied on the table for these ravenous chefs who had been working nonstop for hours!

In some ways it seems like such an odd contrast. After having just prepared and served some of the most sophisticated dishes in the city that night, these famished chefs were digging into boxes of simple, local pizza.

Chef Humm was super friendly and agreed to sign our cookbooks for us (yes, the meal came with an included cookbook! So Bryan and I have TWO!). [And yes, that is Lydia Shire of Scampo and Towne fame in the background].
Thanks for an awesome meal Chef Humm. I can't wait to visit your restaurant again.
I also ran into Barbara Lynch on my out, so I introduced myself and thanked her so much for giving us a chance to enjoy the meal at the Chef's Table.

Most of all, thanks to all the chefs for the hard, hard work they put into making this meal possible. It was fascinating to watch you guys, and I was seriously blown away by the amount of work that it takes to execute such incredible food to such a large group in such a short amount of time.

Eleven Madison Park
11 Madison Ave
New York, NY 10010

Menton
354 Congress St.
Boston, MA 02210

Menton - White Alba Truffle Tasting Menu

January 13, 2012 by Jennifer Che

I was born in November. November has always been sort of a dud month in general. I’ve always been jealous of Bryan, whose early October birthday coincides with glorious fall colors and perfect, crisp hiking weather here in New England.

November is that weird month after all the leaves have fallen but before the magical snow of Christmas has blanketed the ground. For my birthday, I could never go on a leaf peeping hike, a lovely outdoor picnic, or a trip to the beach. Instead, for the last five years or so, we’ve bundled up indoors, enjoying a traditional Chinese hot pot for my birthday.
Then I found out something awesome about November.

Two words: white truffles

Yep, November is when the white truffle season goes full bloom. I have been in love with white truffles ever since the moment I tried them. Their fragrant, earthy aroma is intoxicating, and I am drawn to anything that incorporates this mystical fungus.

I even told Bryan I wanted to go to Alba, Italy for my birthday someday.

Well, I didn’t get a chance to visit Alba this past November. However, Bryan did treat me to a White Alba Truffle Tasting Dinner at Menton.

This meal was really like no other meal I had ever enjoyed. For the first time, we got to dine at the Chef’s Table at Menton.

Now, before I go on, let me tell you something cool about the kitchen at Menton. If you’ve ever been to Per Se or the French Laundry, you can’t help but notice an uncanny resemblance of the Menton kitchen to those kitchens.

As it turns out, Menton's kitchen was designed by the exact same people. According to a chef I met at Menton, the Menton kitchen is probably one of the nicest (if not THE nicest) restaurant kitchens in Boston. Once you cook there, you really become spoiled because no other kitchen is so well-designed, well-organized, spacious, and stocked with so much special and useful equipment.
Anyway, back to the Chef’s Table. The Chef’s Table is actually inside the kitchen. You walk through the kitchen (a cool experience in and of itself) to enter the door to this small, exclusive room. The room has one long table (seats about 20), and has a HUGE window that looks into the kitchen.

It’s seriously front-row seats to all that intense action going on in the kitchen.

It’s fascinating to sit there and watch. There’s a mirror on the other side of the wall opposite the window, so people seated on all sides of the room can enjoy the spectacle.
The manager of the restaurant, Alec Riveros, sat with us throughout the evening and taught us all about white truffles. The dinner was both educational, fun, and (of course), delicious. Because of the intimate nature of the room, you actually get to know the people at the dinner, which is kind of fun.

Before the meal began, the staff brought in the huge white truffle we would all be eating today. The aroma alone engulfed the room, making everyone just a little swoony from the luxurious smell. We passed around the huge white truffle, admiring this rare jewel. White truffles, unlike black truffles, cannot be cultivated. For some reason, no one has figured out a way to farm these precious nuggets. As a result, the only way to obtain white truffles is to go to the Alba region in Italy and hunt for them during their short season. The truffles are buried underground (about 6 inches?), so you can’t even see them if you go into the forest. This is why truffle hunters bring truffle dogs of truffle pigs, whose keen sense of spell can pick out white truffles that are buried underground. The price of white truffles varies wildly depending on availability.

This year was a sparse year for truffles, which is why prices shot up as the season progressed and not a lot of truffles were harvested. Alec told us that the executive chef, Colin Lynch (no relation to Barbara Lynch), is quite picky about truffles and will spend quite a bit of time smelling the various truffles that the truffle vendor brings before picking one out. (Can you imagine being a truffle vendor? Walking around town with that box of truffles! I would so be afraid of getting mugged!)
Butter Soup
Nova Scotia Lobster, Royal White Sturgeon Caviar, Honey
NV Ferrari Brut

We started with a non-truffle dish, actually, the signature “Butter Soup” from Menton. This soup seriously reminded me of melted butter, yet was more velvety, luxurious, and refined. The addition of caviar and lobster just made the entire soup that much more decadent. Of course it was delicious, though I couldn’t help but feel just a tad guilty that I was literally drinking butter!!
Bay Scallop Ceviche
Chives, Honeycrisp apple, Celery
2010 Cascina Roera Arneis "Ciapin"

The next course was a simple dish of bay scallops topped with the first magical shaving of white truffles. The Bay scallops were fresh and very sweet, which was offset nicely with the crisp apple and celery components. The white truffle smelled incredible on the dish, and worked perfectly fine with the components. Part of me did wish I could taste the white truffle more. In this dish, there were many equally strong flavors going on in conjunction with the shaved white truffles. Unlike simpler preparations where the white truffle is clearly the star, here it acted as an equal player in an orchestra of several flavors.
Chestnut Agnolotti
Fondutta, Braised Lettuce, Madeira
2005 Cascina Roera Barbera d'Asti Superiore "Cardin"

The chestnut agnolotti was one of my favorite courses of the evening. The fresh, homemade pasta had fantastic texture, and the fondutta sauce (a rich, creamy sauce made from fontina cheese, butter, milk, and egg yolks) bound everything together beautifully. Of course, the white truffles added a gorgeously sweet, earthy aroma that worked really well with the other components in this dish.

Braised Beef Cheeks
Ris de Veau, Parsnip, Sauce Perigueux
2007 Bianco Aldo Barbaresco
2006 Oddero Barolo

Our last savory course was braised beef cheeks and ris de veau (sweetbreads) in a Périgueux sauce (a rich, brown sauce made from Madeira wine and black truffles!). They came with these peculiar looking seashell shaped root vegetables that none of us had ever seen before. They sort of tasted like a cross between water chestnuts and potatoes, and were actually quite good. The braised beef cheeks went very well with the deep, rich Périgueux sauce. The white truffles were a nice balance to the intense flavors in the meal, though (again), part of me wished I could taste the white truffle more.
The meal included wine pairings, which was pretty unlimited. In other words, if you were a fast drinker and finished your wine before the course was over, they would just pour you some more. Of course, I had the opposite problem. I had trouble finishing so many glasses! This is why so many red wine glasses started "piling up" in front of my plate!

We moved onto a simple cheese course. I regret to say that I cannot remember the name of this cheese. I can say that it was nutty, creamy, had nice depth, and was lovely with the accompanying toasts, Marcona almonds, and fruit jam.

Chocolate Mousse
Cardamon, Milk Chocolate Crumble, Grand Marnier Glace
2010 Marenco Brachetto d'Acqui "Pineto"

Though we were all crazy full by the end, we ended with a few more sweet bites! The decadent chocolate mousse was nice - rich and chocolatey yet not too sweet.

Before we left, the last thing we enjoyed were these baby mini-macarons! This was not the first time I had seen these, but they were still just as fun to eat! Each color is a different flavor. I think we had espresso, mint, raspberry, and orange (though I am not positive!).

All in all, these special Chef’s Table dinners are really an interesting and different way to enjoy dinner on a Sunday evening. Instead of paying the crazy $2000 minimum to reserve the Chef’s Table for yourself, you can just pay the price of a dinner.

The white truffle dinner was significantly more expensive than most largely due the the cost of the ingredients. However, they often have other, more “normally” (normal for Menton, that is) priced set tastings (usually in the $100 to $150 range) that are probably fun, informative, and (of course), delicious.

Thanks Bryan for a such a fun, unique "visit" to Alba. Maybe next year we can go for real. 🙂

Menton
354 Congress St.
Boston, MA 02210

Menton

September 1, 2010 by Jennifer Che

Has it already been a year? It really feels like just yesterday that Bryan and I celebrated our 8th anniversary at Barbara Lynch's then flagship restaurant. And then - woosh - all of a sudden a year has flown by and, again, we are visiting Barbara Lynch's new flagship restaurant for our anniversary.

It's been nearly five months since Menton (pronounced "Mon-ton") opened in the Fort Point neighborhood of Boston. With Menton, Barbara Lynch ambitiously set out to out-do even herself in offering a new level of haute cuisine here in Boston. The service, the food, the ambiance - Menton aims to be at the level of a Michelin-starred restaurant. Barbara Lynch is convinced that there is a market for fine dining in Boston, and she's willing to take the risk on Menton to prove this point.

In celebration of our 9th anniversary (which is actually today!), we visited Menton on Sunday evening.

The space is modern, bright, and airy. Bryan had requested a window seat for us (what a thoughtful husband!) so that I could have good lighting for my pictures. Of course, since it was our anniversary, we opted for the 7-course Chef's Tasting ($145). You can also get a 4-course meal for $95. The wine pairing with the Chef's tasting menu is an additional $105.

Amuse bouche: white bean veloute with forbidden rice, wild mushroom
We started with a lovely amuse bouch, which was really just 1-2 spoonfuls of a light, velvety white bean soup. Lovely flavors, and a great way to whet the appetite. The croissant came early in the meal (lower left), and the rest of the bread came a little later. I loved all the different types of bread, which tasted fantastic with whatever butter was served alongside them.

Rock Crab Salad
Grapefruit, Almond, White Sturgeon Caviar
2008 Heidi Schrock Muscat

The first course was incredible. Beautifully plated with such precision, this dish also have wonderfully complex flavors. I loved how the grapefruit added just a little citrus-y bitterness, which cut the richness of the caviar and the crab perfectly.

Clean Seas' Bluefin Tuna Tartare
Heirloom Tomato, Lemon Cucumber, Yogurt
2009 Chateau Peyrassol Cotes de Provence Rose

Again, I was really impressed with the presentation of this dish. Each individual flower seemed to be placed with the utmost care in its own special place on the plate. The tuna itself was high quality and tasted very good -not a hint of stringiness. Bryan did comment that the way in which the tuna was cut reminded him more of a poke than a tartare. He couldn't help but think about the super-finely cut cubes we've seen from other high-end establishments. To him, this slightly "rougher" cutting style made this dish just a little less refined than some of the top restaurants we've visited.*

Maine Lobster
Pain Perdu, Grilled Local Romaine, Dill
2007 Qupe Roussanne "Bien Nacido Hillside Estate"

Bryan commented that this meal felt very "New England," which I think is pretty unique. Who else than Barbara Lynch to take Boston's quintessential dishes and transform them into her version of haute cuisine? It's something unique that she can offer which distinguishes her from other chefs in other regions of the country. Bryan thought this dish tasted really good. The lobster is succulent, juicy, and poached in butter! The pain perdu on top is essentially a fancy French toast. According to the server, this is Barbara Lynch's interpretation of a Lobster Roll, deconstructed.

Carnaroli Risotto
Summer Vegetables, Lobster Mushroom
2007 Nigl Gruner Veltliner "Privat"

Our next course was a total surprise, since it was not on the menu. The chef sent out an extra course. This deeply rich risotto had a wonderfully rich mushroom essence from the lobster mushrooms. The risotto had that perfect, chewy texture, and the vegetables tasted aromatic and sweet. Bryan was shocked to find out that this dish was completely vegetarian since it had such strong umami flavors. Really really good.

Seared Fois Gras de Canard
Wild Maine Blueberries, Lemon, Basil
NV Velenosi Lacrima di Morro d'Alba, "Visciole"

Another New England twist, this seared fois gras is paired with Main blueberries, which, according to Bryan, "works surprisingly well." I don't usually like fois gras that much, but for some reason I really enjoyed this entree and actually ate the whole thing (usually I end up giving Bryan my fois gras). The fois gras was perfectly grilled and had a nice, seared crust. Bryan agreed that it was one of the best seared fois gras he has ever had (and that's saying a lot!).

St. Canut Farm's Porcelet
Green Tomato Jam, Fava Beans, Rapini
2008 Hirsch Estate Pinot Noir "Storyteller's Cuvee"

By this point I was starting regret eating all that bread in the beginning because I was really getting full! That extra risotto course (thought delicious) did not help the stomach-size problem. This dish was an interesting take on pork in three ways. I can't remember all three, but I think it was pork loin, pork belly, and tete de cochon (pig's head - we had something similar at the French Laundry). All three bites were delicious, and I liked how the rich pork contrasted with the bitter rapini. The slight tartness from the green tomato jam was also a great addition. It really made me want to try making tomato jam.
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PT Farm's Strip Loin of Beef
Carrot, Langue de Boeuf, Sauce Perigueux

Although this beef was fine, it was not earth-shattering in anyway. The flavors were nice, but did not stand out as being particularly inventive or amazing. "Solidly prepared, but nothing extraordinary."
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I was about to pop when the server rolled out the cheese cart. Of course, Bryan LOVES cheese and was still very game to keep on eating. Our server did a fantastic job of describing all the different cheeses, and Bryan ended up picking the ones she seemed to rave about the most.

Hooligan - Connecticut
Nostrale di Elva - Piedmont, Italy
Chiviri - Extremadura, Spain
2007 Kracher Beeranauslese Cuvee

Excellent choices! My favorite was the Hooligan, which is great since it's kind of locally made. I also really liked the tangy chiviri, which was great on the little toasts that they gave us.

Oeufs a la Neige

Raspberry, Vanilla, Black Sesame, Mint

Espresso

We had a few lovely baby macarons in all different flavors. Bryan thought they were way too sweet, but then he doesn't even like macarons. I thought they were sweet too, and definitely nowhere as good as other ones I've had. I did think it was unique that they had a black sesame flavored macaron though. I mean, how often do you see that flavor?

We finally ended with a lovely chocolate dessert. Read the plate!

Chocolate Cake
Vanilla Glace, Cherry, Marcona Almond
2009 Marenco Brachetto d'Acqui "pineto"

This deeply rich chocolate cake was paired with a light, bright sparkling red wine - something I've never had before. The pairing worked surprisingly well, and I really enjoyed it. Even though I did not order the wine pairing, they were nice enough to give me a glass "just for a taste." In fact, they did this twice, also giving me a complimentary glass of wine with our "surprise" risotto course. It was great service on their part to invite me to try a few of these "tastes" at no cost.

After the meal, we had a chance to check out one of their cool private dining rooms called The Chef's Table. This room has a direct view into the kitchen. Isn't that SO COOL?? You can just stand there and watch them prepare food all night while enjoying your own dinner. Unfortunately, there's a $1500 minimum to reserve this room (it seats up to 12), but hey, you never know, sometimes restaurants will waive that fee if you call last minute.

Final Thoughts
We had a wonderful time at Menton and we both agreed that it sets a new standard for Boston. There's no question it's one of the nicest restaurants in Boston. It definitely reminds me a lot more of the restaurants in New York.

The service was definitely top notch. If my water glass was even a tad empty, someone would come straight away to refill it. Timing was impeccable. The moment after I finished the last bite of a dish, someone would come and whisk it away. At one point in the evening, a woman even came up to me and offered me a shawl because I looked cold. Now THAT's service!

Bryan thinks it still doesn't quite reach the level of the 3-star Michelin restaurants we've visited, but then, it's not priced that way either. Most of those restaurants are over $200/person, while Menton comes in right under $150. Considering how there are many subpar tasting menus in Boston that still cost over $100, Menton is (in a twisted way) almost a bargain when you consider the level of food, service, and ambiance you are enjoying.

I think it's funny how we've visited Barbara Lynch restaurants two anniversaries in a row. People are like, "what are you going to do for your tenth, fly Thomas Keller to your home so he can cook for you?" [update! - this is where we went]

Ha ha, I wish - as if we need to top ourselves every year. In truth, it doesn't really matter where I go for my next anniversary. I'm just as happy sitting at home and eating a simple home-cooked meal. As long as we're together, I don't care where we spend our next anniversary.

Happy Anniversary Bryan!

Menton
354 Congress St.
Boston, MA 02210

* yes, we're being nit-picky at this point, but if you are aiming to be world class restaurant, than all of a sudden you're under a pretty crazy standard

Happy 20th Anniversary! A look back . . .

September 1, 2021 by Jennifer Che

20 years???

In some ways it's really hard for me to believe that I have been married for 20 years (the years flew by!). Yet in another way, when I look back and think about all the different things we've gone through together -- how we've both grown, changed, and experienced so many different chapters together in so many different ways -- then it does feel like it's been a long time.

I met Bryan when he was 17 and I was 19. We were mere kids, not really knowing anything about our futures, where we would go, what we would become. We got married soon out of college, still figuring out our directions in life.

Marriage is truly a step of faith and also commitment (especially when you're really young and you still don't really know yourself!).

We got married on September 1, 2001. It was ten days before the horrific attacks on 9/11 that changed America and our lives forever. We were on our honeymoon in Italy at the time, and started out our marriage stuck in Brussels for days before finally catching a flight to Montreal and driving down the Boston.

I thought it would be fun to reflect upon how we have celebrated our anniversary over the past 20 years. Of course, our 20 years of marriage is defined by so much more than just food or annual celebrations. However, it has played an important part of how we enjoy time together as a couple, and (of course), it is the focus of this blog. 🙂 Enjoy!

2002

2002 was a different time, define by a post 9/11 world and yet pre-digital and pre-social media. Although we received our first digital camera as a wedding present, I woefully have very few photos from that era, and I can't remember for the life of me how we celebrated! All I remember is that I gave Bryan a coffee grinder and Illy espresso cups for our first Valentine's Day, which we use to this day.

2003 - 2007: Staying Put in Boston

I changed careers in 2003 and started attending law school at night and working full time during the day. Needless to say, we started out our marriage being quite busy! Although my weeknights were filled with classes and weekends full of study, we still played in our church band together, ran a Bible study group at our home, and enjoyed local trips around New England.

2003: *Outlet shopping in Freeport Maine*

2004: *Hiking, lobsters, and blueberry pie at Acadia National Park in Maine*

2005: Attending a friend's wedding and celebrating in Boston's North End at Prezza for dinner

2006: I love biking, and one of my favorite activities is to bike the minuteman trail (from Cambridge to Lexington) for ice cream at Rancatore's, and then bike back for a nice dinner in Cambridge. This time, we took a day off of work and ended the day with a French meal in Harvard Square.

2007: Tiny Urban Kitchen is Born

When I graduated from law school, I was so ready to explore a plethora of hobbies (after being "cooped up" for 4 years studying law during my freetime). I threw myself into trying new activities, such as sewing handbags, oil painting, running, capoeira, cooking, and starting a food blog.

In the early days, the blog had no photos (!). I really just wanted to keep a journal of the restaurants I ate at, and also my mom's recipes. Because of that, my write-up of our 6th anniversary meal at Craigie Street Bistrot (one of the earliest blog posts at Tiny Urban Kitchen) is shockingly photo-less.

As life would have it, as I became "freer", Bryan started traveling more and more for work. At our first anniversary apart in 2008 (due to one of Bryan's many business trips), Bryan sent me roses at work for the first time.

Tiny Urban Kitchen is Christened

In 2009 I started to blog more seriously. Bryan had bought me a lovely little camera that took really good photos of food. I changed the name of the blog, joined an ad network, and started to write more seriously about both my cooking and my dining out.

That year, we celebrated our anniversary with a lovely meal at Boston's classic No. 9 Park.

2010: 9th: Menton

2010 was a momentous year. I won Project Food Blog: The Next Food Blog Star, and I started blogging a lot more. We celebrated our 9th with a lovely meal at Barbara Lynch's flagship restaurant Menton, where we enjoyed New England inspired food elevated to the highest level Boston had ever seen.

2011: Las Vegas

For our 10th anniversary we did something crazy. Our friend, a wedding photographer in Las Vegas, offered to treat us to a photoshoot in the desert! We brought along my wedding dress and took all sorts of fun photos, the below being one of my favorite.

We also enjoyed a mind-blowing meal at 3-Michelin starred The Mansion at Joel Robuchon. Truly an unforgettable meal.

2012: 11th Uni Sashimi Bar!

2012 was a special year because Bryan's parents retired that year. Bryan had so many airline miles from his years of travel that he gifted his parents a choice of two first class tickets anywhere in the world.

They looked on a globe and picked the farthest location they could find: Australia and New Zealand. Oh, and they wanted to go together as a family. In 2012, we took a 3+ week vacation (longest we'd ever taken!) and traveled around that stunning region. I woefully have never given it a proper write-up on the blog, but there are a few food posts I was able to write.

Due to the crazy travel in November that year, we took it easy for our anniversary (and also for Christmas), not traveling at all but just resting and staying put. We celebrated 11 years of marriage with a lovely Japanese-inspired meal at Uni Sashimi Bar, back when it was just a small corner of Clio, pre-Tony Messina. How things have changed!

2013: 12th Sonoma!

I have such, such fond memories of California's wine region. I got to know the region when I used to travel there annually to cover the S. Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef competitions. For years we went back annually, savoring the beautiful scenery, amazing food, and in Sonoma and Napa. I have many, many fond memories of those trips, and am so thankful for the numerous opportunities we had to visit that amazing region.

2014: 13th Berkshires!

Boston's own backyard, the Berkshires, is a lovely place to visit in the summertime. For our 13th anniversary, we finally enjoyed a picnic while listening to a concert at Tanglewood, the quintessential New England summer experience!

2015: 14th in the Midwest and Around the World

Our friends asked us months earlier whether we wanted to make a special trip to Chicago just to dine at Alinea, one of the most famous fine-dining restaurants in the US. It had been years since I had visited Chicago, and I fell in love with the city! I guess my Midwestern roots are still strong, and perhaps a part of me felt at home there. The meal at Alinea was also really special, especially because we got to spend this anniversary with some of our best friends.

2015 was also memorable for me because that fall Bryan took me on an "Around the World" trip to celebrate my 40th birthday. It was a momentous and crazy trip. We visited wineries in Bordeaux, explored museums in Paris, sampled white truffles in Alba (even went on a truffle hunt!), learned all about the barbaresco and barolo regions, savored Tokyo's food and culture, and also stopped by Hong Kong, Bryan's favorite city in the world. At that time, we never would have ever imagined that we would move there some day.

Finally, I started a new job as head of IP at a biotech start-up in Cambridge, which was super exciting. What a year!

2016: 15th Saison San Francisco

In 2016 I got to enjoy one of my favorite meals (ever) in the US, our anniversary dinner at Saison in San Francisco. I loved how the chef incorporated so many Japanese concepts and ingredients into the tasting menu.

2017: 16th Bergamot Boston

2017 was an unique year. It was the year I moved to Hong Kong. At that time, Bryan had already moved to Hong Kong first and had returned to Boston right before our anniversary to wrap up our move. For our anniversary, we visited our favorite hangout spot Bergamot and enjoyed a boisterous meal at the bar with close friends.

2018: 17th Bergamot Boston

After moving to Hong Kong, we started to value and cherish our times at Bergamot more and more. We returned again in 2018 for yet another anniversary celebration at the same bar. Little did we know that would be our last time . . .

2019: 18th Anniversary in Amber

We couldn't make it to Boston for our 18th anniversary. Instead, we decided to book Amber in Hong Kong in the midst of an intense time of social unrest in Hong Kong. It was a crazy story of how Bryan barely made it out of the airport (which was overrun with protestors) right before the police locked down the airport. Many people were stuck in traffic for hours. I was so thankful Bryan was able to make it back in time for us to celebrate together. I am even more thankful he had the foresight to book a night at the Landmark Mandarin so we wouldn't have to worry about how to get home afterwards.

2020: COVID-19

It goes without saying that 2020 has been the most upended, unpredictable, and crazy year to date. 2020 meant we had been "locked in" working from home for close to two months. In late August, Hong Kong finally started to open up a bit. We ventured out, cautious, celebrating our first "socially distanced" dinner out at Xin Rong Ji.

2021: Our 20th Anniversary

Happy Anniversary!!! Here we are at our 20th. We are so, so thankful that the Covid situation in Hong Kong is quite good, with no local cases in months. We've been enjoying an extended week of celebrations, visiting some favorites such as Sushi Shikon, Ando, Mott32, and Din Tai Fung, just to name a few.

Sometimes it's shocking to me how little we knew ourselves and each other when we took the plunge and decided to tie the knot at such a young age. However, I truly believe it's because of God's amazing grace that we have been able to grow so much as as couple these past 20 years.

The 20th anniversary gift according to tradition is China, while the modern version is Platinum. It's fitting, considering we currently live in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, and Platinum is the material we chose for our wedding bands and my engagement ring so many years ago.

I feel very, very thankful and blessed beyond measure.

Happy Anniversary!

Jen's Top Restaurants to visit in Boston - 2017 update

December 20, 2017 by Jennifer Che

I originally wrote this post on April 23, 2013 following the Boston Marathon bombings. It was in honor of my beloved city, which was going through so much grief at the time. I felt compelled to support Boston and share about it, which I did by writing a round up of my favorite places that I recommend to friends whenever they visit Boston. It's been several years since then. Some restaurants have closed, and other new exciting ones have opened, so I thought it was time for another update on top restaurants to visit in Boston. Here you go!

...

Azabu Kadowaki (麻布)

October 19, 2016 by Jennifer Che

Azabu Kadowaki counter seat view

This is the twenty-eighth post in the Around the World Birthday Extravaganza Series. Please scroll to the bottom to see all the other posts in this series.

Two words: truffle rice

These were the words that first drew me to this place. One of my Japanese friends who lives in Azabu-juban (right on the edge of Roppongi) told me about the divine truffle rice at this two-Michelin starred restaurant, Azabu Kadowaki. Azabu Kadowaki is a kaiseki restaurant that focuses on traditional, high-end tasting menus.

Imagine . . . a bowl of hot, steaming rice with generous slices of shaved black truffles on top. I was sold immediately, and decided that I would most definitely visit this place the next time I was in Japan....

Bar Mezzana

September 28, 2016 by Jennifer Che

Bar Mezzana Boston

I can't tell you how excited I was when I found out that Chef Colin Lynch was opening his own restaurant. Chef Lynch has spent the last twelve years as part of the Barbara Lynch Gruppo, first serving as chef de cuisine at No. 9 Park before becoming executive chef of the Gruppo and helping to open Sportello, Menton, and Drink.

I first met Colin (no relation to Barbara Lynch) at a Guchi's Midnight Ramen pop-up event when he was executive chef at Menton. I later met his wife Heather at another "pop-up", this time at Menton where Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park cooked a special menu from his cookbook for just one day.

Chef Lynch left the Barbara Lynch Gruppo in early 2015 to open Bar Mezzana, a "coastal Italian" restaurant in the South End focusing on seafood crudo and pastas. He opened Bar Mezzana together with his wife Heather Kennaway Lynch (general manager) and business partner Jefferson Macklin in June 2015.

I can't believe I waited this long to try this restaurant for the first time. My first visit, which was just a couple weeks ago, was great. I loved the strong seafood crudo program, the phenomenal fresh pastas, and excellent cocktails. Here's a look at some of the dishes we tried!...

Updated! Jen's Top Restaurants in Boston

July 7, 2015 by Jennifer Che

Hi all - Hope you all had a great Independence Day!

I originally wrote this post on April 23, 2013 following the Boston Marathon bombings. It was in honor of my beloved city, which was going through so much grief at the time. I felt compelled to support Boston and share about it, which I did by wrote a round up of my favorite places that I recommend to friends whenever they visit Boston. It's been a few years, and the list needs updating, so here's an updated, 2015 version of my top restaurants in Boston! Currently working on updating this to become the 2017 version . . .

...

Boston Wine Expo 2014 + Giveaway!

February 1, 2014 by Jennifer Che

It's here again! The 23rd annual Boston Wine Expo returns on February 15th and 16th (right after Valentine's Day!) at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center from 1PM to 5PM.

Tickets are $95 for Saturday and $85 for Sunday. $145 gives you a pass for both days. You can also opt for the VIP ticket ($145 Saturday, $135 Sunday), which gives you access to the VIP lounge, complimentary coat check, a nicer glass (the one pictured above is the normal glass that everyone gets), and a champagne toast.

There are over 300 wineries pouring, so it's a bit overwhelming if you just show up without any plan (which is sort of what we did!).

The hall is roughly divided up by geographical regions, which helps a bit.

The setup is pretty straightforward. At the entrance everyone receives a tasting glass. You then just walk around and see which wines you might want to try.

Walk up, ask for a taste, and begin comparing!

There was no way we could finish everything, so we tried to be selective, picking regions we liked, wineries we knew were good, or places with big crowds.

If you need a break from wine tasting, there are lots of other things to do. Last year, Chef Rich Garcia, executive chef of culinary operations at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, gave a cooking demonstration. This year there are many chefs giving demonstrations, including Jody Adams, Michael Leviton, Barbara Lynch, and Michael Schlow.

Click here to see the full schedule of chefs presenting.

There are also many samples from all sorts of vendors.

Like these fancy shortbread cookies.

Fun artisanal mustards (we have the horseradish one at home!).

Healthier dips made with a sweet potato base.

Of course, at any time you can go back to sampling more wines.

GIVEAWAY! (+ DISCOUNT CODE)
I have one pair of tickets to the Sunday, February 16th Tasting that I'm giving away on the blog. In order to enter, please comment below telling me your favorite wine. We are always looking for new wines to try, and would love to hear suggestions.

I have a lot of favorites and it's hard to pick. However, one of my current favorites is the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Kamen Estates Wines. We discovered this wine at Sonoma County Wine Weekend (yet another wine festival!) earlier this year during our unforgettable anniversary weekend in Sonoma. It pairs beautifully with one of my favorite cheeses, Comte Grand Cru from France (only available for a limited time each winter/spring here in the US). It's one of my favorite after dinner "desserts".

Please comment below! I will pick a winner on Wednesday, February 5th at midnight, Eastern Standard Time.

Even if you don't win, you can still save 10% off either the Saturday or Sunday tasting by entering the code SOCIAL.

Good luck!

Hee hee, love these handbag shaped box wines.

Jen's Top Restaurants to Visit in Boston

April 23, 2013 by Jennifer Che

It has been a tough, tough week for those of us in Boston.

For me, I landed in Boston right around the time the lock-down was lifted, so thankfully we were able to catch a cab back to our home in Cambridge. Imagine our surprise when about 10 unmarked cruisers sped past our cab on Storrow Drive racing towards Watertown. We continued to hear sirens for several minutes, even after we got home.

Who could have imagined that the tenseness, craziness, and unbelievability of this whole week would finally reach some sort of closure in a couple more hours.

We were all relieved, and it was really, really nice to see Boston slowly coming back to life over the weekend. Going back to normal never felt so great.

In honor of my beloved city, I have written up a post detailing some of my favorite places to bring friends when they visit. I often get requests for where to eat while in Boston, and I've never really written up a proper post putting it all together.

So, please enjoy this write up of some of my favorite places to eat (plus a fun surprise at the end).

And if you have a chance, definitely come and visit!

1. Taste Boston's Famous Seafood

Boston has fantastic seafood - everything from our dizzying array of raw oysters to the awesome lobster rolls and clam chowder. Try the incredible lobster roll at Neptune Oyster in Boston's North End. Their hot lobster roll is especially famous, but everything there is really, really good. I personally love their oysters as well as the Johnny cake. The biggest negative about this place is that they don't take reservations and the restaurant is tiny. Waits can easily stretch to a couple hours long. Thankfully, you can leave your phone number and they will call you when your table is ready. However, don't show up too late. We've come and been turned away before because the line was so long they wouldn't be able to seat us that night.

If you don't want to wait at Neptune, Island Creek Oyster Bar is an excellent alternative because they take reservations (plus they are located a stone's throne from Fenway Park). This place has a great selection of local oysters plus lots of tasty seafood options. Of course, it is also very popular, so book early! Other decent stand-bys for seafood include Legal Sea Foods (very fresh but simply prepared seafood and excellent clam chowder) and (for that fancier steakhouse-like experience), the Oceanaire.

2. Italian Food in Boston's North End (+ pastries afterwards!)

The North End is a vibrant, food-packed neighborhood that is definitely a must-visit. Though most tourists will line up to eat at Giacamo's or Pizzeria Regina, we prefer Mamma Maria, a place serving excellent Italian food in a cozy, townhouse-like environment; or the buzzing Prezza, who has one of the best bolognese sauces we've ever tried and an awesome lobster fra diavlo (but really, everything is fantastic).

For more casual, less expensive, but still excellent Italian fare, try Monica's Trattoria or Antico Forno. I always skips dessert at restaurants in the North End because I love heading over to Mike's Pastry or Modern for dessert. Don't miss the awesome lobster tail at Mike's (my favorite!) or the delicious cannoli at either location. Lines can get long on weekends, though you can sometimes avoid the lines if you opt for sit-down service at Mike's (if there's an open table).

3. A Splurge One Night?
Although Boston hasn't been rated by the likes of the Michelin Guide, San Pellegrino Top 50 Best Restaurants list, or other lists that get passed around, we have our own fair share of fantastic fine dining options. Here are my favorites.

Watermelon Pearls and Oysters at O Ya

For a twist on Japanese food (one of my favorite cuisines), head down to O Ya in downtown Boston where Tim Cushman will delight you with his creative takes on sushi. Must try dishes include the fried Kumamoto oysters nigiri, grilled chanterelles & shitake mushroom "sashimi", and the foie gras nigiri for dessert (yes, chocolate sauce and dessert wine). If you're into sake, Chef Cushman's wife Nancy Cushman is a certified sake sommelier and can create a great pairing for you.

Ken Oringer is one of the most famous chefs locally, and it's not hard to see why. Both of his restaurants, Clio and Uni Sashimi Bar serve beautiful, creative, and well executed dishes. Clio is more traditional French, while Uni Sashimi Bar is a twist on Japanese cuisine.

A Course from The Ultimate Chef's Tasting at Craigie on Main

For true nose to tail dining, check out the ever popular Craigie on Main across the river in Cambridge for overall excellent food. Chef Tony Maws is fanatical about the quality and the source of all his food, and it really shows. His burger is so famous and popular (even at a whopping $18), that it often sells out before 7PM (and you have to know about it to ask for it, since it only appears on the bar menu now). I've enjoyed everything from the casual brunch (best bloody Mary I've ever tried, by the way) to his "Ultimate Chef's Tasting." This guy's got true talent, and it's definitely worth trying his restaurant if you have a chance.

A twist on a Lobster Roll from Menton

For that refined, sophisticated high-end French experience, Menton is well regarded as the best option in the city. Barbara Lynch set out to even out-do herself in offering a new level of haute cuisine never seen in Boston. It seems like Chef Lynch has succeeded, even receiving the honor of being Boston's first ever Relais & Chateaux recognized restaurant, an honor indeed. Menton offers various tasting menus inspired by local ingredients and interpreted with French techniques with influences from all different sorts of cuisines. We've tried several meals there, and have always been impressed by the food, ambiance, and service. It really is one of the best high-end restaurants in Boston.

For a more unusual, Mediterranean experience, check out Ana Sortun's Oleana, which derives quite a lot of influence from Turkish cuisine. Chef Sortun's husband is a farmer, and therefore the restaurant also strongly emphasizes the use of local and seasonal produce, produced with organic methods when possible.

Another fun and unique place is Scampo, an excellent Italian-leaning restaurant located in The Liberty Hotel, a former prison. The architecture of this prison makes this building pretty interesting to visit. The food at Scampo, from Boston's well-known chef Lydia Shire, is also excellent.

4. Boston's Excellent Gastropubs & Neighborhood Restaurants

Russell House Tavern

One thing that has spoiled me here is the plethora of really good gastropubs. I almost thing I take it for granted. Just in Cambridge alone, I only need to walk a few minutes to find a really good, reasonably priced pub where I can get excellent food and a great selection of craft beers. There are tons of these around, so I'll just mention a few of my favorites. Keep in mind that I do live in Cambridge, so my choices may be a little skewed towards places that are convenient for me.

Russell House Tavern is something that's almost too good to be true: a restaurant located at a prime location (the heart of Harvard Square) serving fantastic food at very reasonable prices. They have a huge bar in the lower level (great place to try to grab a seat if no reservations are available), and a great selection of draft beers. They emphasize local and seasonal ingredients, and the food is excellent.

Cambridge Brewing Company
I have a soft spot for Cambridge Brewing Company, one of our local microbreweries. They make a lot of fun beers throughout the year - everything from a pumpkin ale during the fall to a fun, smoky spicy hot pepper beer that we recently tried. The food is good, the ambiance is fun (try the tower of beer!), and sometimes they even have a jazz brunch on weekends, which is fun and relaxing. Garden at the Cellar in Cambridge still (in my mind) has the best rosemary truffle fries around, while Cambridge Common has a mean selection of beers (over 30 on draft) plus inexpensive (and solid) food. Puritan & Co. is helmed by a super talented chef and has great charcuterie and oysters.

One of our favorite go-to restaurants Bergamot falls more into the new American category, although they do have a small bar where we love to hang out. Bergamot has a fantastic $39 three course deal that they offer all the time. Chef Pooler is extremely talented and executes fantastic, flavorful dishes that change frequently due to the seasonality of ingredients.

Another favorite, Ten Tables in Cambridge, offers a warm and cozy ambiance in which to enjoy new American fare made from local and seasonal ingredients. In the summer, enjoy a lovely meal while sitting outside in Harvard Square at the Monday Club at Upstairs on the Square.

5. Best Casual / Ethnic Tastes
It was hard to cull down this list, so it's a bit longer than the others. There are just a lot of good ethnic eats here!

For a unique style of rich, pork-bone broth ramen, try Yume Wo Katare in Porter Square, where you can try the unusual "Jiro"-style ramen not found in many parts of the US. Don't be surprised if you have to wait in line outside to get into this tiny little place which only accepts cash. For hand-pulled noodles made in the style of Xi'an, drive far out into the suburbs to get a taste of Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe. Get the liang pi (weekend only), lamb stew, and handmade noodles, but skip the flatbread sandwiches.

My favorite Brazilian restaurant is Muqueca in Inman Square, which offers delicious seafood stews called moquecas. The mariscada is also excellent, and the yucca fries and cashew fruit drinks are just fun to try. My favorite not-so-hidden ethnic gem is Baraka Cafe, a North African Tunisian restaurant right on the edge of Central Square. Service can be a bit slow at this family owned restaurant, but the food is really good and (in my mind) worth the wait. Definitely try the cherbat, their signature Algerian style lemonade made with rose petals and North African spices.

Bartley's Burger

One of the most famous burger places in the entire city is Bartley's in Harvard Square. This place is almost an institution in the Square and often has lines going out the door on nice days. The burgers are named after various celebrities in fun, irreverent ways (often poking fun based on current events). They're also pretty tasty.

One of my favorite local places for excellent salads and pizzas is Area Four in Cambridge right near MIT. I love the thin crust pizzas that they make, which often come with really creative toppings. Their salads are excellent, and are often made with more unusual seasonal ingredients, such as their shaved Brussels sprouts salad (yum). Emma's in East Cambridge also makes great thin crust pizzas. Our favorite is the No. 4, which includes cranberries, potatoes, and bacon.

For excellent Southern American / French cuisine, try Hungry Mother in Cambridge. Reserve early, because this is one of those places that is virtually impossible to book same day reservations (unless if you want to eat at really odd times).

4. Don't Forget the Sweets!

Toscanini's Ice Cream
Boston is obsessed with ice cream and I really think we have some of the best ice cream in America. My personal favorite is Toscanini's (or Tosci's) in Cambridge, which offers an eclectic variety of flavors that is ever-changing. His brother's place, Rancatore's, in Belmont and Lexington also serves similar ice cream, though the flavors are more ordinary. Other popular places include Christina's and JP Licks, but Tosci's is my favorite.

One of my all time favorite baked items in the entire city of Boston is High Rise Bread Company's vanilla loaf. I've even tried making it (though my version based on their recipe still doesn't taste quite as good as the real thing, though it's close!). Aside from all the wonderful breads and sweets that they sell, High Rise also makes excellent sandwiches. There are multiple locations in Cambridge, and it's a fabulous place to have a relaxed lunch (though come early if you want to make sure you get a seat! I usually try to come before 12pm on a weekday).

The most famous bakery in Boston just may be Flour Bakery by Joanne Chang. Her sticky buns are the most famous. They were featured in a throwdown with Bobby Flay and won. Rumor has it that you have to go early otherwise the sticky buns run out, though I've seen them at the Central Square location as late as 6PM. The fresh baked bread here is excellent, and it makes the sandwiches especially tasty.
This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the really great restaurants in Boston. It's a list of places that I would recommend to my friends if they asked me for advice. I hope you find it helpful, and feel free to comment below or email me with any questions.

Come support Boston!

Boston Strong.

(just for fun, in honor of Boston "coming back", here is an animated video I made a couple years ago with vegetables building themselves into a Boston skyline)

Sportello

October 26, 2012 by Jennifer Che

Ask anyone to name the best chefs in Boston, and undoubted you'll hear Barbara Lynch's name in the mix. After all, this "rags-to-riches" local Bostonian female chef has climbed through so much to get to where she is today.

Her achievements are numerous. She and her restaurants have won multiple James Beard Awards over the years. Her highest-end restaurant, Menton is the first (and only) restaurant in Boston to receive the prestigious Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux award. No. 9 Park her original flagship restaurant, is still is one of the most highly regarded restaurants in Boston today.

But no one eats at these restaurants on a daily basis. These are places that are reserved from special occasions, celebrations, and expense account dinners.

That's the beauty of Sportello, Chef Lynch's neighborhood answer for the local Bostonian looking for excellent, Italian food in a casual yet trendy atmosphere.

When given the opportunity to build something in a converted warehouse in the Fort Point neighborhood, Barbara Lynch looked at Boston and thought about what was missing.

She sought to build "the next level of fine dining" that Boston hadn't seen with the opening of Menton. She thought Boston could use some really good drinks, and built up Drink in the adjacent space.

Finally, she reminisced about the days when she was a child, and her mom used to take her to Woolworth's for a simple grilled cheese and a pie.

"The last thing is a cool sort of counter. . . . grab and go but sleek and stylish with my food."

That's exactly what Sportello is.

Two U-shaped counters essentially take up the entire dining area. There are a couple tables, but most of the seating consists of bar stools, many of which have views of the semi-open kitchen.

A lot of the prep work is done downstairs in the large kitchen that's shared with Chef Lynch's other restaurants (Menton and Drink are also in the immediate vicinity). However, you can still watch some of the cooking from your bar stool seat.

Bryan and I visited Sportello after watching the Red Bull Diving Competition at Fan Pier in Boston's waterfront area. Crazy divers jump off the top of the ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art) building, which is many, many stories high. Admittedly, it may seem like nothing compared to jumping from the edge of space, but it was still pretty awe-inspiring to watch.
Because it was August when we went, we sampled the fresh, seasonal ingredients in the Heirloom Tomato Salad ($12), which was served simply with crumbled pecorino, fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar "dots". If the ingredients are top notch, you can't really go wrong with this salad, and this one was great.
All of their pastas are homemade, and you can order any pasta as a half size appetizer portion for half the price. We decided to order two half-sized pastas as starters and share one entree. Our first pasta was a seasonal offering: Pappardelle with Tuna Belly, San Marzano Tomatoes, and Eggplant. We both loved the perfect al dente texture of these wide ribbon-like noodles.
The Tagliatelle Bolognese, on the other hand, is a staple menu item that stays on all year long. We both liked it a lot, and would definitely be happy to order it again. I probably preferred the bolognese to the tuna belly pasta, though both were good.

Entrees vary a lot depending on the season, but there's always a "Market Fish" on the menu. In late summer when we went, we enjoyed a lovely grilled white fish which was served with grilled Japanese eggplant, summer squash, and an edamame puree.

I did want to mention that I loved the wine we got, a little find from a young winemaker in Sicily. We learned about this wine, Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia 2010, because we just happened to be sitting right next to a person from Central Bottle, who instantly recognized the wine we got (they sell this wine at Central Bottle as well).

True to Chef Lynch's promise, Sportello offers the opportunity for one to come and just "grab and go." You can walk up to a bakery/cafe counter inside the restaurant and order sandwiches or bakery items to take away.

Dessert is sort of a fun affair because you can either order off of the normal dessert menu or walk over to the counter and pick out whatever bakery items you might want for dessert.

Bryan and I decided to try both (!!). We ordered the Blueberry Cheesecake off of the normal menu, which was great. I especially loved those fresh, Maine blueberries.
We also got a Kit Kat Cupcake from the bakery, which, honestly, I thought was pretty average. The cupcake was a tad dry and not nearly as interesting as I had hoped.

General Thoughts
In general, we both thought Sportello offered high quality food and wine in a fun, casual, yet sleek environment. Pastas were especially tasty, and I really loved the wine.

It's still a bit of a trek from Cambridge, and not quite "destination-worthy" for us to make the trip out to Fort Point just to eat at Sportello. We have plenty of excellent restaurants close to home. However, if we're in the neighborhood (or, when my company moves there next year), I will happily stop by often, either to try their lunch take-away sandwiches or for the excellent pasta dishes.

As a cool side note, Sportello is currently offering a three course Sunday meal, including all-you-can-eat pasta, for $45. Sounds awesome yet dangerous at the same time!

Sportello
348 Congress Street
Boston, MA 02210

Happy Anniversary!

September 2, 2012 by Jennifer Che

Jen & Bryan at Rockport, 1997

I've noticed something that my parents always told me when I was younger.

As you get older, it's so true - time just flies by faster and faster and faster.

I'm really shocked that it's already been a year since that day when Bryan and I went out into the desert in our wedding garb and took some crazy photos to commemorate our tenth wedding anniversary.

10th anniversary shoot - September 2011

In fact, the past 5 years since I graduated from law school have just whizzed by. I really feel like I started the blog yesterday!

Has it really been five years???

In some ways, it's funny to watch the progression of my posts throughout the years, starting with my 6th wedding anniversary post from Craigie Street Bistrot which had no photos (I know, shocker, can you imagine me posting something without photos today?) to my 8th wedding anniversary post from No. 9 Park (wait did I really skip a year? - I guess 2008 was a bare year for the blog), to our 9th at Menton (yes, we did a Barbara Lynch series for a couple years I guess), culminating in our crazy 10th year menu degustation at Joel Robuchon in Vegas.

How do you follow a crazy ten-year?

By being simple, I guess.

Wedding Day - September 1, 2001

Bryan and I purposely chose Labor Day weekend for our wedding because we liked the idea of always having a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary.

Typically we would love to travel. However, it's been a pretty crazy week for both of us. Bryan just came back from a business trip to SF where he ate at some fantastic restaurants (he recently got a decent point & shoot so I'll actually share his pics). I was in Montreal for work this past week as well (posts on my meals coming very soon!).

Alas, because we've both been away, it's actually really, really nice just to be home.

So we will be enjoying Boston this weekend. On our actual anniversary, we had a fabulous dinner at Uni. I don't want to give it all away now, but I thought I'd share with you just one pic from our 12-course tasting menu (of uni, of course!).

"Uni" at Uni

Tomorrow, we plan on cooking a nice, simple meal at home (maybe pick up some cheese and salumi from Formaggio Kitchen, make Bryan's favorite awesome homemade pasta carbonara, and grill some steaks). It will be low-key but really, really relaxing.

Perhaps we'll kayak on the Charles River, or maybe check out a museum.

I feel like I've been flying to so many places lately, it's actually really nice to be home.

Can't wait to enjoy Boston this weekend!

Happy 11th anniversary!

Bryan and Jen at Uni - Sept 2012

Bryan and Jen being silly the summer before they started dating - July 1996

Pasta Carbonara

August 7, 2012 by Jennifer Che

Pasta Carbonara is so misunderstood.

I misunderstood it for years.

{OK, to be fair, I haven't known pasta carbonara for that long. In fact, I first knew the name as a server at MIT. Yes, MIT named its servers after pasta dishes, likes Primavera, Carbonara, you get the picture.}

But even after I knew that it was a pasta dish, I always thought I hated carbonara. Why? I really don't care for cream sauces. Fettuccine Alfredo makes me shudder, and I would choose a rustic tomato or simple olive-oil sauce any day over a cream sauce (with only a few exceptions).

But then I tried carbonara in Rome.

It's so different there.

In Rome, we tasted some of the best carbonara we'd ever had in our lives. At Roscioli, a restaurant known for obsessing about the source of its ingredients, it's all about the eggs. The pasta carbonara at Roscioli is much "eggier" than any carbonara we've ever had. The intensely yellow-yolked eggs come from Paolo Parisi, a well-known egg farmer whose free-range hens feed on goats' milk.

We also learned that pasta carbonara in Rome has absolutely no cream.

In fact, the ingredient list for this rich, velvety pasta is ridiculously short and simple.

A true carbonara consists of only the following: eggs, guanciale (smoked pork jowls), pasta, cheese, and fresh, ground pepper. That's it! Forget the garlic, white wine, parsley, and butter. Definitely forget the cream.

Because of the recipe's simplicity, it's crucial that you buy the highest quality ingredients. You can easily be disappointed by this recipe if you don't use good ingredients.

So we went all out. We went to Formaggio Kitchen, one of the nicest gourmet stores in the Boston area known especially for its incredible cheese selection. We picked up a really nice, eggy dried pasta from Italy called Marco Giacosa.

We bought the house-cured guanciale (cured pig's jowls), a mix of Pecorino Romano and pure Pecorino from Italy, Chip-In eggs, and a blend of pink, white, and black peppercorns. For fun, I threw in some Sichuan peppercorns that I had as well.

Once you have your ingredients, it's really, really easy to make this simple dish. Cook the guanciale over medium heat until the fat is rendered. The original recipe says don't let it brown, but definitely ignore that! All of the guanciale we had in Rome was super crispy. It was one of our favorite parts of the dish, so I would definitely let it get nice and crispy. Drain the oil and put the guanciale in a separate bowl. Mix in your glorious bowl of (mostly) egg yolks, and stir!

Meanwhile, on the side, cook your pasta until perfectly al dente (make sure to salt the water a lot, til it "tastes like the ocean"). Grate some cheese, crush some pepper, and then get ready to assemble!

Add in all the goodies (including some reserve guanciale fat and pasta water!), taking care to add the cheese in small quantities (and mixing in between) so it can melt and distribute evenly.

Toss everything together!

Serve on warm plates, as the dish does cool pretty quickly.

Add extra fresh ground pepper and grated cheese to taste.

Enjoy!

Bryan, definitely my toughest critic by a long shot, thought the dish was really good and happily volunteered to eat all the leftovers the following day.

This one's definitely a keeper.

Pasta Carbonara
Serves 4-6
adapted from Barbara Lynch (of Boston's No. 9 Park, Menton, among others)

¼ pound guanciale, cut into ⅓" cubes
7 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1 pound pasta (I used pappardalle)
Kosher salt
½ - 1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (original recipe said ½ cup, but we added more)
¾ teaspoon freshly ground green peppercorns
¾ teaspoon freshly ground pink pepper
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
[note: I just used 2 teaspoon of one of those pre-mixed sets of peppercorns]
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook guanciale in a large skillet over medium heat until fat renders and the guanciale is nicely browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Pour into a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; reserve drippings. Transfer guanciale to a large bowl and let cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water (I made the water pretty salty, "like the ocean."), stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid. To the egg mixture, immediately add pasta, 2 tablespoons pasta cooking liquid, and 1 teaspoon guanciale drippings; and toss to coat. Working in 3 batches, gradually add the cheese, stirring and tossing to melt between batches. Add the fresh ground pepper and toss until sauce thickens, adding more pasta water by tablespoonfuls if needed. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Divide among bowls. Garnish with additional Pecorino and fresh ground pepper.

Enjoy!

Note: I halved the recipe (it could still easily serve 3 people), so I used 3 egg yolks and 1 egg, which still worked out fine.

My Favorite Date Restaurants

January 27, 2012 by Jennifer Che

This post was originally published February 8, 2011. I have since updated it with new insights I've gained this year, just in time for Valentine's Day!

Picking a good date restaurant can be tricky.

You want the ambiance to be pleasant, nice . . maybe even a bit fancy. Yet, the last thing you want is a pretentious, stuffy environment that makes you feel uncomfortable. You want to be able to sit back, relax, and really enjoy the evening.

Of course, it goes without saying that the food must be excellent. And, preferably the prices would be reasonably, although we may be willing to splurge on special occasions.

I've lived in Boston for 17 years and I've been with Bryan for about 15 years. Needless to say, we've been on a lot of dates in Boston, and definitely have tried a number of places in the greater Boston area.

Here are some of our favorite special occasion / date places (I've thrown in a couple from New York, California, and Las Vegas as well just for fun!).
The North End

Hand made Ravioli from Mamma Maria

We always love going to the North End. The neighborhood itself is fun to explore; it's bursting at the seams with fantastic food; and (if the weather's nice), you can take a lovely romantic stroll all the way back to Cambridge through Faneuil Hall, the Public Garden, Back Bay, and the bridge overlooking the Charles River.

Because I love to walk, a night out in the North End is one of my favorite ways to spend an evening. For a romantic night out, I love the ambiance at Mamma Maria, a quaint multi-level townhouse overlooking North Square. Mare, an Italian place specializing in seafood, is also very nice with huge windows facing out into the North End. Try the langoustine if you go there; it's absolutely delicious. Prezza and Monica's Vinoteca are also great choices, with Prezza being a bit smaller, quieter, and more intimate.

Rack of Lamb and Grilled Langoustine from Mare

Though it's not Italian, I also love Neptune Oyster. It's tricky for a date because you can't make reservations and it gets quite crowded. Nevertheless, I love the tiny, intimate atmosphere, and the food is absolutely outstanding. Taranta, a Southern Italian / Peruvian restaurant also in the neighborhood, was ranked the most romantic restaurant in Boston by Yelp last year.

My favorite thing to do at the end of the night in the North End is to forgo dessert at the restaurant and instead opt for a nice cappuccino and a small pastry at one of the local cafes (e.g., Cafe Vittoria). Finally, stop by Mike's or Modern Pastry and pick up some cannolis to take back with you. If you still have room, you can always enjoy one on the road as you take your time meandering slowly throughout the Boston neighborhoods nearby (the waterfront, Faneuil Hall, Chinatown, just to name a few).

Cambridge / Somerville

Ragout of wild mushrooms, Farm fresh egg from Craigie On Main's Ultimate Chef's Tasting

There are so many good restaurants in Cambridge / Somerville that it's hard to just pick a few. Craigie On Main is one of my favorites and we've celebrated many special occasions there in the past, like our anniversary, Bryan's birthday, and my birthday. I highly recommend the Ultimate Craigie Experience. Just make sure you call ahead and tell them you want to have that particular tasting! You might even score ringside seats, the ones that give you a firsthand view of the action inside the kitchen!

Bergamot is another one of my favorites. Keith Pooler is inventive and is always changing up the menu. You never know what to expect! The service is excellent and the prices are very very reasonable considering the quality of the food that comes out of that kitchen!

Ten Tables and Salts are two very small, intimate places that serve high quality food. Ever since moving to the northern side of Harvard Square, Ten Tables has become our favorite place in the neighborhood to visit. The food is fantastic, the staff is super nice, and the prices are very, very reasonable.

Bondir is another fabulous option. The first time I visited, I fell in love with the warm, inviting ambiance inside this tiny little restaurant. There's a huge roaring fireplace that just beckons you to come inside - super romantic! The chef-owner, Jason Bond, comes from Beacon Hill Bistro and creates a new menu every single day.

Finally, there's a little gem call T.W. Food in North Cambridge just a little off the beaten track. The ambiance is super warm and intimate, and the food is fantastic.

Littleneck Claims and Andouille Sausage from Rialto

If you're in the mood for Italian, Rialto has excellent food in a very traditional upscale environment. If you want more old world Italian charm, then Gran Gusto in North Cambridge is perfect for that. For something a bit unique, try Oleana, which serves farm fresh dishes with a Mediterranean twist. Upstairs on the Square is also another solid, traditional upscale restaurant overlooking Harvard Square. If you don't mind something a little unconventional, I think Hungry Mother (Southern American/French cuisine) serves some of the best food in Cambridge.

Finally, if you want something just a little different, try Muqueca (Brazilian), Atasca (Portuguese), or the Helmand (Afghan). All of these are excellent ethnic restaurants that are really nice and just a bit more reasonably priced than your typical European or new American restaurant.

Boston

Maine Lobster, "Pain Perdu", Grilled Local Romaine, Dill from Menton

Barabara Lynch is sort of an icon in Boston and has some of the finest restaurants in New England. Her newest venture, Menton, aims to bring Boston's haute cuisine to a whole new level. Menton has excellent service - the type you would find in a multi-star Michelin restaurant - paired with really really good food. If you can, try booking a special meal at the Chef's Table, a unique and intimate experience that's different from eating in the normal dining room.

No. 9 Park was Barbara Lynch's flagship restaurant (before she opened Menton) and is a solid choice as well. We went there for our wedding anniversary in 2009. The service is top-notch and the food is very good. If you go, you must try her signature dish: the prune stuffed gnocchi with fois gras. Incroyable!

If you're a steak lover, Bryan thinks Grill 23 has the best steak in Boston. If you love Japanese food, O Ya has a fantastic tasting menu that's wonderfully creative, exquisitely executed, and absolutely delicious. Bryan thinks O Ya has the best food in Boston, period. Uni Sashimi Bar is also an excellent choice, and I've had multiple exquisite birthday dinners there. Oishii Boston is another solid choice for Japanese (especially if you don't feel like shelling out $100+ for a tasting menu).

A special Valentine's Day post-dinner treat at Clio

For Valentine's Day in 2010, Bryan and I tried Ken Oringer's Clio for the first time. We liked some dishes better than others, though overall we had a very enjoyable time there. Last year, we checked out a few places over Valentine's weekend, like Oishii Boston (just 'cuz I love sushi) and a pop up restaurant at the Taza Chocolate Factory, prepared by Will Gilson, formerly from Garden At the Cellar.

New York, Las Vegas, and Napa Valley

The French Laundry, Yountville, California

California
You can't beat a trip to Napa Valley when "romantic" comes to mind - rolling hills, beautiful vineyards and some of the best restaurants in the world. Thomas Keller's The French Laundry is iconic - a gorgeous, quaint farm house serving some of the most exquisite food around. I also love Redd, a more reasonably priced but perfectly enjoyable restaurant just down tbe street in Yountville. If you're in southern California, Melisse is an excellent option, having one of the most extensive bread collections I've ever seen (second only to Joel Robuchon in Vegas), not to mention fantastic food in a warm, comfortable atmosphere.

We tried Jose Andres' Saam inside of his flagship Los Angeles restaurant Bazaar this past winter. A mixture of molecular gastronomy, bold Spanish flavors, and traditional French technique, the tasting menu at Saam showcases some of Andres' favorite dishes from all his restaurants (post coming soon).

For Sushi, try Sushi Zo, an omakase only no menu sort of restaurant. The fish is excellent and the atmosphere is very authentic. It's one of closest experiences I've had to a Japanese sushi omakase here in the US (post coming soon).

Joel Robuchon, Mansion in Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the land of excess, over-indulgence, and opulence, and Joel Robuchon definitely delivers! My dinner at Joel Robuchon (both the four course and the Menu Degustation) were, by far, the most over-the-top meals I'd ever had - everything from plush velvet pillows and pearls to gold in my food and a crazy display of bread and mignardises (see above). It's a little insane, but definitely a unique experience! We also tried an excellent French meal at Picasso last January, along with some crazy good 90-day dry aged steak at Carnevino ("best steak I've ever had" according to Bryan).

If you're into really good pasta, definitely check out Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich's B&B Ristorante. The service is good, the tasting menus are fun, and the pasta is some of the best we've ever had. For a bit more traditional, old world Italian, you can't beat Raos or Il Mulino , which have all around good, solid food (even if the ambiance is a little bit more casual). Bryan and I both agreed this past January that Il Mulino is now our favorite Italian restaurant in Las Vegas (sorry Mario!).

Butter Poached Abalone from Daniel in New York City

New York
Oh New York! New York is still the mecca for food in the US. There are so many crazy good restaurants, where do I start? Well, there's Thomas Keller's flagship east coast restaurant, Per Se, which sits at the top of the Time Warner Building in Columbus Circle. Though we liked The French Laundry just a tad more, we still had a perfectly enjoyable meal here.

We celebrated my birthday at Daniel in 2009 and it still reigns as one of my favorite dining experiences of all time. The service is incredible - warm, friendly, yet super professional at the same time. The space is beautiful and the food is absolutely unforgettable. As a seafood lover, Le Bernardin is still my top choice in New York if we're just talking purely food. No one beats Eric Ripert when it comes to seafood . . . .

Well . . . that is unless you want to talk sushi, in which case I highly recommend Sushi Yasuda. The ambiance is like a normal sushi restaurant (so none of the white glove service, etc), but the food is insanely good, and probably among the best sushi in the U.S.

Eleven Madison Park (which just got its third Michelin star!) is a gorgeous restaurant with absolutely incredible food. I've had the privilege of trying Daniel Humm's food twice, and both times I was blown away by his talent.

If you can score a reservation, Momofuku Ko is a fun and unique experience. David Chang is a genius when it comes to putting flavors together. The ambiance is casual (we wore jeans), but the experience is definitely special.

For a lovely, rustic Italian-based evening, our current favorites include Il Buco Alimentari and Torrisi.

Well, there you have it - my current ever changing list of good date restaurants. I know this list is a bit biased since I tend to eat most often in Cambridge and just a bit beyond. Also, when I travel I have only a few days, so I tend to seek out well-reviewed, well-known restaurants. However, I'm sure there are tons of excellent hidden finds out there.

I would love to hear what you think.

What are your favorite date restaurants??

THE LIST FROM THIS POST

The North End
Mamma Maria
Mare
Prezza
Monica's Vinoteca
Prezza
Neptune Oyster
Taranta
Mike's Pastry
Modern Pastry

Cambridge/Somerville
Bondir
Craigie On Main
Bergamot
Ten Tables
Salts
Rialto
Gran Gusto
Upstairs on the Square
Oleana
Muqueca
Atasca
Helmand

Boston
Menton
No. 9 Park
Grill 23
Oishii Boston
O Ya
Uni Sashimi Bar

California

The French Laundry

Redd

Melisse
Coi
Terra
Saam at Bazaar

Las Vegas

Joel Robuchon

B&B Ristorante
Picasso

Raos
Carnevino
Il Mulino

New York

Per Se
Daniel

Le Bernardin
Sushi Yasuda
Eleven Madison Park
Momofuku Ko

Guchi's Midnight Ramen Pop Up

January 17, 2012 by Jennifer Che

Last night was a crazy night.

Precisely at 12:20 AM on Sunday "evening" (technically Monday morning!), Bryan and I stepped out into the frigid night (it was ten degrees Fahrenheit - brrrrrr!) and headed out for ramen.

Ramen at midnight???

In the wee hours of Monday morning on January 16th, Guchi Midnight Ramen, a pop up restaurant started by a few O Ya chefs, opened its doors for the first time. Rumors had been circulating for months about this mysterious venture. The word was that several O Ya chefs had decided to create a ramen pop up restaurant where everything was to be made from scratch, from the broth down to the handmade noodles.

Handmade noodles??!! I didn't need to hear more. I couldn't wait for this to open.

Imagine the thrill I felt this past weekend when I received an invitation to attend the first ever opening of this much-anticipated pop up.

Even though both Bryan and I had to work the next day, nothing would stop us from heading out to Bondir at midnight to slurp up that inaugural batch of noodles!

Mark O'Leary and Yukihiro Kawaguchi (aka "Guchi")

First of all, let's meet the founders behind this crazy venture.

The whole idea was hatched one night at the bar at Drink. O Ya chefs Yukihiro Kawaguchi (Mr. "Guchi" himself) and Mark O'Leary were chatting with the bartender when the idea of a ramen pop-up came up.

Mark O'Leary, who loves making noodles, was thrilled that Guchi, who loves experimenting with making broths, wanted to partner and bring this idea to fruition.

"I'm lucky to work with Guchi. He's taught me a lot. I'm lucky he lets me make his noodles. I hope to make a lot more noodles for Guchi."

Guchi at O Ya

Guchi comes from a family of noodle makers. His family owns a ramen shop in Japan, and he grew up living directly upstairs from the shop. When Guchi moved to America, he spent some time at Ginza in Boston before becoming a chef at O Ya, where he still currently works.

Vilas Dhar and Tracy Chang

Vilas Dhar is an attorney and food entrepreneur. The mastermind behind the pop-up Dore Creperie in Downtown Crossing, Vilas brings to the team his experience, drive, and enthusiasm. Tracy Chang also worked at O Ya back in 2010, but left last year to spend a year in Spain to train at three-star Michelin restaurant Martin Berasategui. She came back to Boston not too long ago, and since then has been very involved in many of the details behind this pop-up!

Checking Out the Kitchen
Soon after I arrived, I couldn't help but be drawn to the kitchen. How in the world were they going to execute this pop up?

Guchi told me that the broth, which is a pork and seafood based broth, had been cooking for about 10 hours. He has actually experimented with making many different kinds of broths, many of which he plans on using at future pop ups.

Mark and Tracy got up at 6AM (!) to start making the sweet buns for the pork belly buns. The two of them then began the laborious process of hand-cranking out 50 portions of handmade noodles. Talk about dedication!

They spent all day prepping every single component of the evening's dinner from scratch, from the delicious "XO-like sauce" (which they call "Umami oil"), down to the broth, the buns, and the noodles. I can't believe they still had energy at midnight after getting up at 6AM!

As soon as the last guest arrived, Tracy popped into the kitchen and told Mark and Guchi, "I think we're ready to go!"

Soon afterwards, these delicious homemade pork belly buns began to appear.

The bun itself was moist, just a tad sweet, and gorgeously fluffy. The pork belly was divine, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that worked perfectly with the crunchy cucumbers, peanuts, and fresh cilantro. It was fantastic.

The much anticipated ramen was also really, really good. We loved the handmade noodles, and the broth was really flavorful. It's a bit lighter than a traditional pork bone broth, which is usually very creamy and quite heavy. This broth still had the creaminess from the pork bones, but had other complex elements that came from the variety of seafood used in the broth.

Bryan, who usually doesn't like ramen that much, absolutely loved his bowl of noodles and even finished mine!

I loved the "umami oil" that they put on the tables. I liberally added it to my noodle soup, which infused a lovely kick as well as a huge umami boost to the dish. Bryan tried it with the pork buns as well, which he said was quite good. If only they would bottle it and sell it, I would totally buy one!

Yes, I looked tired, but what do you expect? It's 2AM!

We ended with a delicious matcha chocolate chip cookie. It was a great way to finish off the meal.

The atmosphere was lively and celebratory. The Guchi Midnight Ramen crew had invited many of their close friends to come and enjoy this special inaugural feast with them, including a bunch of people from Barbara Lynch's group (pictured above, Colin Lynch, executive chef of Menton), James Bissonnette from Coppa, and John Gertsen from the famed Drink where it all started.

Tracy talking to members of Barbara Lynch's team
After everything had been served, the team popped the champagne and celebrated this exciting occasion.

Jason Bond, chef owner of Bondir (the host restaurant!), and Monica Higgins also hung around next to the lovely fireplace at the entrance of the restaurant. They were able to enjoy all of this delicious food too, not too long after working so hard earlier in the day running Bondir!

Although I was exhausted afterwards, I don't regret going one bit. I had tons of fun not only enjoying the delicious food, but also getting to know this crew of incredibly dedicated, hardworking, and talented people.

I personally can't wait to find out when the next Guchi's Midnight Ramen pop up will be. It's so hard to find handmade noodles here in Boston (trust me, I've tried). Here, not only do you get to enjoy the delicious chewiness of handmade noodles, you get to slurp them up with Guchi's unparalleled broth. The Guchi Midnight Ramen team has promised that their pop ups will be priced much lower than other ones we've seen around town, which is awesome.

Seriously, it's a win-win combination.

Guchi Midnight Ramen team, thanks so much for the rare opportunity to share this exciting first meal with you all. It was definitely a tremendous honor. Can't wait to see what you have in store next!

Disclaimer
I did not pay for this meal.

Tiny Urban Tidbits #18 - Local News

March 25, 2011 by Jennifer Che

Kyubey in Tokyo, Japan

Happy Friday everyone!

I realize I've been doing a lot of non-local posts lately, so I thought I'd take a tiny break from the Tribute to Japan Series and talk briefly about local things going on around the city.

If you still want a taste of Japan, you can check out the one crazy post from the November Japan trip that I wrote earlier. In Round 9 of Project Food Blog, we had to write a restaurant review. The stakes were high, as 12 contestants were about to be narrowed down to three!

I decided to write about Kyubey, one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Japan. The entire meal is simply unforgettable, especially if you've never had a high end sushi experience Japan before. Check out the post here.

James Beard Award Nominees
Congratulations to some of my favorite local chefs for their nominations! Cambridge made a strong showing, with Tony Maws (Craigie on Main) nominated for Best Chef Northeast and Will Gilson (Garden at the Cellar) nominated for Best Rising Star Chef.

Barbara Lynch's Menton has been nominated for Best New Restaurant and Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery + Cafe and Maura Kilpatrick of Oleana have been nominated for Outstanding Pastry Chef. Tim Cushman (O Ya) has also been nominated for Best Chef Northeast.

Several restaurants I've visited on my travels also made the list. Picasso (where I just went in January) has been nominated for both Outstanding Restaurant as well as Outstanding Wine Service. Richard Reddington from Redd and Josiah Citrin from Melisse are also nominated for Best Chef Pacific. Per Se in NYC has been nominated for Outstanding Service.

Finally, Gary Danko, who I just met a few weekends ago in Napa Valley, has also been nominated for Outstanding Chef. I would love to try his restaurant one day!

Congrats to everyone who was nominated!

New Openings!

Pinkberry will be opening right in the heart of Harvard Square at the old Alpha Omega Building (sharing that space with a spanking new Starbucks Coffee!). On top of the typical (delicious!) frozen yogurt and toppings, this Pinkberry will also serve breakfast as well as offer Pinkberry Take Home, a 25-oz swirl-to-order tub of your favorite yogurt.

Floating Rock, well loved Southeast Asian restaurant originally in Revere, has moved to Central Square and will have a soft opening next Friday, April 1. They are currently selling gift cards at a discount. These discounted cards will only be available up until the opening of the restaurant.

Purchase a gift card worth $25 for $20, a $50 card for $40 and a $100 card for $75. E-mail [email protected] for details.

Thelonious Monkfish, a new Asian fusion place, has recently opened in Central Square. They have a full sushi menu, as well as plenty of Southeast Asian dishes plus many standard Chinese dishes. I've tried it a couple times and I plan on going again before writing up a full post. Initial thoughts? Some dishes were quite tasty while others were more average. Overall, I think it's a great addition to the area. Central Square can really benefit from a place like this.

EmPower Breakfast at Rialto with Jody Adams!
EmPOWER Breakfast is an annual benefit in collaboration with women from the business community to raise much needed funds for Asian women and children impacted by domestic violence.

This year, the event will be Thursday, April 7 from 8AM -10AM at Rialto. There will be breakfast, a silent auction, and a panel discussion. I'll be there blogging about the event as well!

To find out more and to purchase tickets, please visit this page.

This event will be hosted by Jody Adams (Chef/Owner of Rialto Cambridge), Vivian Hsu (Principal of Hsu & Associates, LLC) Renee Inomata (Partner at Burns & Levinson, LLC) and Janet Wu (7News/CW56).

Pop Up Restaurant!

They've struck again! It's yet another pop up restaurant! As many of you know, I went to my first pop up restaurant at the Taza Chocolate Factory.

This time, Aaron Cohen and Will Gilson (along with Sel de la Terre chef Louie Dibiccari) will set up a pop up restaurant at Mizu hair salon on Saturday, April 9, 2011. A 5-course menu will costs $100 and includes tax and gratuity. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the International Medical Corps to aid Japan.

To learn more and to buy tickets, click here.

That's it folks! Have a wonderful weekend, and we will continue the Tribute to Japan Series next week!

Taza Chocolate Factory Pop Up Restaurant

February 24, 2011 by Jennifer Che

They've been one of the hottest food trends lately. Pop up restaurants, made popular by Celebrity Chef Ludo Lefebvre in Los Angeles, are starting to appear in other cities (like Boston!) as well. The concept is simple. A chef sets up a temporary restaurant in a vacant (often unusual) space for one night and serves a dinner there.

Usually, the dinners are prix fixe, reservations are required, and the menu is ever changing. More often than not the meals are creative, upscale, and multi-course experiences. In general, it's difficult to score a reservation. Seating is often communal, so be prepared to socialize, meet some new friends, and enjoy a different sort of dining experience.

People have dined in banks, sandwich shops, basements, and . . . in this case . . a chocolate factory!

I had the privilege of trying out my first pop-up experience at the Taza Chocolate Factory over Valentine's Day weekend.

I had a blast.

I first visited the Taza Chocolate Factory over a year ago when they had opened it up for tours. They have since upgraded most of their equipment, so all of this was brand new to me. I must say, there's something very, very cool about walking around inside a chocolate factory. How fortunate are we to have something so unique and interesting right in our backyard in Somerville?

A chocolate factory is not set up for cooking, by any means, so Will Gilson had to bring a lot of his own stuff. They set up shop in the "kitchen" area (which had a fridge). Will brought his own immersion circulator (yay sous vide!) and a mini-oven. It's pretty fascinating how he is able to creatively make use of what he has to produce such an interesting meal.

Since it was Valentine's weekend and we were in a chocolate factory, naturally the theme was chocolate. Will Gilson definitely took a very creative and whimsical approach in how he carried out that theme. Case in point: the first course? A HUGE "kiss"! What was inside?

Spice roasted butternut squash kibbeh “chocolate kiss” with pistachio, buttered leeks and braised duck
Well, there was no chocolate, but there was a lovely flavored kibbeh (typically a Lebanese dish made from bulgar wheat) that reminded me a bit of cous cous but with a chewier texture. The flavors were fantastic, and you can't beat the presentation.

Black Truffle and chestnut soup with white chocolate
The second course was probably the most unique dish of the evening. This was Will Gilson's spin on cream of mushroom soup. Normal mushrooms are replaced by black truffles, while the "cream" has been replaced by white chocolate. The soup was interesting. It wasn't bad, but it was quite weird. You could definitely taste the sweetness of the white chocolate, yet at the same time the umami of the soup was quite strong. The way one person put it, "if this soup were just a hair sweeter, it would taste like dessert."

Winter greens and herb salad with crispy speck and guaca “mole” dressing
The salad's chocolate link was the guaca-"mole" dressing. Mole is traditionally a Mexican sauce that contains chili and chocolate (among other spices). Will Gilson took a creative spin on this by using traditional mole spices (sans the chocolate!!) and mixing them with avocados to make his own version of a green goddess dressing. Speck, sort of like prosciutto, is cured ham (knowing Will Gilson, he probably made it himself). It added a nice crunch and saltiness to balance out the creamy dressing.

Marinated lamb with cocoa nib jus, whipped potato, French curry and cabbage dolma
The next course was sort of a take on lamb in two different ways. One piece of lamb was marinated with cocoa nib jus and cooked sous vide in the immersion circulator for hours. The other piece was ground lamb mixed with spices and wrapped in a cabbage leaf. Bryan and I both agreed that the cabbage dolma tasted much better with its flavorful, juicy meat. The marinated lamb was OK, but both of us would have preferred something a bit more rare. In this case, although it was soft and tender, it was basically cooked all the way through.

Mexican Hot chocolate tasting
Warm chocolate espuma, chile and chocolate terrine, and dulce de leche
The dessert was where we finally got to see some true chocolate! Of course, the chocolate was Taza Chocolate. Will taught us now to make dulce de leche (so easy! just boil a can of condensed milk for an hour). I always love the combination of chili and chocolate (the Taza disc with guajillo chili is my favorite!) so it's no surprise I enjoyed the terrine, especially with that tiny sprinkle of salt on top.

Every so often curiosity got the best of me and I would sneak into the kitchen to see what was going on. Will had a small team of people helping him out both with plating the food and serving it.

Before each dish, Will would come up with Aaron (the organizing mastermind behind this whole event) and explain the dish. It made the whole evening a bit more personal, communal, and fun.

At the end of the evening, the people who had been serving us all night came out. There was a big round of applause.

Community
A big part of these events is the communal dining aspect of it. You sit at these longish tables next to people you've never met. Bryan and I ended up sitting with a bunch of folks who worked at Taza Chocolate, which was super fun. I met Stephanie (sales), Mike (the original chocolate maker!!), and Sarah (the "pulse", social media, marketing person).

We asked them all sorts of interesting questions, like "what is it like to be a chocolate maker?" or "what new flavors have you tried making?" or "how often do you get to take chocolate home with you?"

Several of the employees had been with the company since close to the beginning, and it was really cool to hear stories of how Taza has grown through the years.

I even asked them whether they could make the chili chocolate disc with a darker chocolate (currently the discs are around 55%, and I personally love 70%). I was thrilled when they told me that they are actually coming out with those really soon!! Hot off the presses!

Heck, I don't think they've even told anyone else about this yet! So, BREAKING NEWS! Coming soon: new chocolate flavors at Taza will be orange, chipotle, and ginger. These will be available with the 70% chocolate.

The factory now has a store, which is a great place to buy interesting small-batch "research" chocolates that never make it out to normal stores. Examples of some recent pieces include chocolate with pieces of candied ginger as well as chocolates with cashews.

Male Models

Ha ha, got your attention, didn't I?

Mike, the chocolate maker, is actually the guy posing in all of Taza's promotional postcards. The other two Taza employees, Sarah and Stephanie, somehow convinced Mike to pose with the postcard in his hand. That's the picture on the left.

On the right? Will Gilson showing off his awesome eat tatoo.

Would you ever find stuff like this in a normal restaurant?? 😉

The Details
This pop up meal was $80 per person inclusive of everything. Considering that you get a 5-course dinner, unlimited wine (provided by Bear Flags Wine), full service, and a gift bag full of goodies at the end (including Taza Chocolate discs, locally made Elaine Hsieh Chocolates, and I <3 lamb stickers), it's really a good value.

Granted, there are some limitations on the quality of the food mostly from the fact that the chef is quite constrained in a makeshift kitchen. Still, Will did an admirable job of executing a very delicious and enjoyable dinner in a really unique environment.

In the end, the food is only one aspect of this entire dining experience. The pop up experience is unique and fun because 1) it's a one-time event in an unusual space 2) the chef creates a very personalized dining experience for you and 3) you get to meet all sorts of interesting people.

Of course, all this is even more fun when there's excellent food involved (which, in this case, there definitely was).

Highly recommended.

Next Pop Up "Mothers Day In March" at the BCAE
Will told us during this event that his next pop up will be benefiting his mom, Jodie Gilson, owner of J. Gilson Greenhouses, a wholesale grower of herbs and perennials. Sadly, all of his mother's greenhouses collapsed under heavy snow this past winter. These greenhouses are her livelihood and it's crucial for her to be up and running in time for the spring season.

Will's next pop up has an impressive line up of chefs, including Colin Lynch (Menton), Jamie Bissonnette (Toro/Coppa), Joanne Chang (Flour), Ian Grossman (Russell House Tavern), and Will himself, (Garden at the Cellar) of course. See the entire list here.

The dinner will be Saturday, March 5, 2011 at the Boston Center for Adult Education. You can buy tickets here.

About me

January 1, 2007 by Jennifer Che

Who is Tiny Urban Kitchen?

Hi! My name's Jen.

Tiny Urban Kitchen was born out of my tiny urban condo situated between my alma mater and the other school in Cambridge. My tiny urban condo came with a tiny urban kitchen, hence the name of this blog. It was bit tight at times, but over all, it worked for me, and I spent lots of time there exploring new recipes and cooking methods.

I then moved out of that condo into a medium urban townhouse in Cambridge. My kitchen had a bit more space. In September of 2017, I moved to Hong Kong, a land known for its tiny, tiny apartments (they even call them "nano" or "micro" flats). In many ways, I've moved back to the roots of this blog, back to a true "tiny urban kitchen."

I am an experimenter by nature. I worked as a research chemist for years synthesizing new molecules in the lab. At home, I am always trying new things in the kitchen, exploring fun, new creative ways to cook.

I also love eating, and am very willing to travel for good food! That's why this blog also includes my takes on my various eating adventures around the world. I love sharing about my food adventures, and I also love hearing what you have to say. So, please leave a comment, say hello, and feel free to give me your thoughts and suggestions too. If this is your first time here, welcome!

If you're interested in cooking, definitely check out the Recipes link, which is a compilation of all the recipes on the site to date. If you like Asian food, visit the Chinese Recipes Gallery, which gives you a quick, photolicious way of browsing through the Chinese recipes on the site. For dining out, a great way to start is top restaurants to visit in Boston, posts from other US cities, or food from my worldwide travels.

Interested in the sous vide technique? Here's a primer on sous vide, including links to several recipes I’ve made from famous chefs like Thomas Keller and David Chang.

How did Tiny Urban Kitchen get Started?
Check out my entry for round 1 of Project Food Blog which describes not only how this blog began, but really the core of what motivates me and what defines Tiny Urban Kitchen.

Dining Out
Since I lived in Cambridge for over 20 years, many of the restaurants on this site are in the Cambridge/Boston area. The best way to search my neighborhoods is to hover over the Travel/Restaurants tab at the top of the blog menu, go to US, Boston, and then pick the neighborhood. You can navigate the entire blog that way.

For a fun photo gallery of all the Michelin Starred restaurants I visited, check out the Michelin Stars Gallery. I do travel extensively, and thus you’ll find all sorts of food from places such as New York City, Las Vegas, and Napa/Sonoma in the US, tons of places in Asia (Tokyo, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and of course, Hong Kong), as well as several countries in Europe.

I've written up a few travel guides for cities that I know better. Feel free to check them out here.

What has surprised you most about food blogging?
I think everyone says the same thing, and I have to agree. The community is AWESOME. Most people start food blogging to share recipes with friends and family, or to keep a record of all the restaurants they've visited - at least that's why I started my blog. You never really realize how food blogging can connect you to so many like-minded people around the world. I've had the great privilege to "meet" people from Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, and, of course, all over the US. Things like the Foodbuzz Festival are great ways to connect with other food lovers. I never would have thought that starting a food blog would open the door to so many other friendships, opportunities, and experiences.

What has been the most amazing food opportunity that you've had as a result of food blogging?
No question it would be my trips to Napa Valley (both in 2010 and in 2011) to Napa Valley to blog about the S. Pellegrino Almost Famous Chef Competition. In 2010, Foodbuzz and S. Pellegrino had hosted a contest to send one person there. I was thrilled and beyond belief that I had actually won the contest. The trip really opened my eyes to what the food industry is like. The food industry, especially the restaurant industry, is grueling, and it takes a ton of hard work and perseverance to make it. I was so privileged to be able to see this up close. It really gave me a new perspective and added respect for those who choose to follow this career path. Of course, Napa Valley is also beautiful, and I had a fabulous time there just checking out the vineyards and trying some amazing restaurants!

What camera do you use? What's your process in photography?

I switched between my Sony Cybershot DSC RX1R, (which is more pocket-sized so I carry it around with me everywhere I go) and my Canon 5D MKIII depending on the situation. The SLR is really big and heavy, so I use it more during vacations and food events that are clearly "camera-friendly." I would say 80% of the pictures on my blog are taken with the pocket sized cameras. I use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC to catalog and work up my images, which are all shot in raw format. I then export them to the blog on WordPress, which hosts all my images.

Between 2012 and 2016, I used the Sony DSC RX1, and the Canon 5D MKIII. Before 2012, I used either a Panasonic Lumix GF1, Canon 5D, or Canon 5D MkII, all of which are excellent cameras.

Which posts did you have the most fun making?
Man, that’s a tough question! Before Project Food Blog I would have said my first 24, 24, 24 post titled "Kyaraben on Steroids." I spent the day making sushi and other foods in the shapes of my favorite Japanese anime characters. It was a ton of work and took all day, but to this day I still love looking at the pictures of the cute Hello Kitty, Domokuns, Totoros, and Keroppis that I made for this post. However, I had a lot of fun creating posts for the numerous rounds in Project Food Blog. My favorites would have to be a toss up between the final post in the last round (“Final Reflections”) where I made a moving stop-animation video of Boston constructed out of vegetables (and sang a song!) and the hand-pulled noodle instructional video that I made for Round 7. In general, I love playing with my food and photographing them in different angles, and therefore some posts whose photography I really enjoyed creating are the ones about dragon fruit, meyer lemons, ratatouille, and inside out apples.

What are you favorite restaurants in Boston?
My favorite neighborhood restaurant is Bergamot, a place we visit on a regular basis. The staff there is incredible and they really take good care of you. Of course, Chef Pooler makes fantastic food, and Paul makes great drinks at the bar.

Ten Tables in Cambridge was also a favorite. Although chef David Punch is no longer there (moved on to open his own fantastic restaurant), Chef Dan who took over is still great, and executes well thought-out, flavorful dishes reflecting the most seasonal ingredients. The menu changes constantly, so it's always fun to return.

Before we moved, we used to love going to Garden at the Cellar. The truffle fries alone are the best I've ever had, and the rest of the menu is excellent and priced very very reasonably. Since then, the original chef Will Gilson has moved on, and we have moved away from the neighborhood as well.

My current favorite place in Cambridge for casual dining is probably Area Four. They make excellent salads, delicious and creative pizzas, and have a pretty fun beer list.

Hungry Mother (French/Southern American cuisine) was excellent, but has now closed! For fancy dining, Craigie on Main, formerly Craigie Street Bistrot, is fantastic - some of the best food I've had in Boston. O Ya (Japanese inspired cuisine) is also an amazing dining experience - hands down one of the best restaurants in Boston. Similarly, Menton by Barbara Lynch also executes incredibly good food.

For outdoor dining during the summer, some of our favorite places in Harvard Square include Upstairs on the Square, Monday Club [update, now closed!], Rialto, and The Red House. Muqueca (Brazilian coastal food) is one of my favorite little ethnic family restaurants, while Mamma Maria or Prezza just might be my favorite North End restaurants (of course you can't forget Mike's Pastry or Modern!). Though it’s not Italian, Neptune Oyster in the North End is one of my favorite seafood places - a perfect taste of New England. For excellent non red sauce Italian, check out Erbaluce.

Outside of the North End, we love Gran Gusto and Basta Pasta, both the original Cambridge location and the new Quincy location. Giulia is also a super popular Italian place in Cambridge, and Posto makes some of the best (and most authentic) Neapolitan style pizzas.

As for Asian food, because I'm Taiwanese, that cuisine tends to be my favorite, which is why I love going to Taiwan Cafe, Gourmet Dumpling House, Dumpling Cafe, Dumpling House, and Shangri-La. I also love the hot pots at Little Q (more recently moved to Arlington) and the more unique "dong=bei" (Northeastern Chinese) food at Golden Garden, our favorite take-out place right outside of Cambridge. My all time favorite noodles? Hands down the hand-pulled noodles at Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe.

My favorite high end sushi places are probably Uni Sashimi Bar and O Ya, both of which are Japanese inspired but not purely traditional Japanese. For less astronomical pricing, we love Cafe Sushi, which is creative, inventive, and overall delicious. Oishii has been a favorite in the past for traditional sushi, though recently I've been a bit more disappointed. Gen Sushi in Belmont is reasonably priced and serves generous portions of very fresh fish. Fugakyu has one of the best sushi lunch specials around and the old Cafe Sushi (before it got revamped!) used to be our favorite place for Sunday evening sushi dinner specials ($1/piece nigiri! - update, no longer available).

Hi Rise Bakery is one of my favorite bakeries (love love love their vanilla loaf) and also one of my favorite sandwich shops. My favorite ice cream is from Toscanini's (though his brother’s place Rancatore’s is awesome as well) and my favorite pizza is from Emma's or Area Four. My favorite burgers are from Bartley's and (surprise!) Capital Grille, while Bryan loves the burgers at Craigie on Main, Radius (no longer open) and Smith & Wollensky.

What have been some of your favorite dining experience ever? In the world?
One of my most memorable dining experiences was at Kyubey in Tokyo, my first real omakase experience.Kyubey is a sushi place right down the street from Tsukiji Fish Market. We got the omakase and essentially had our personal sushi chef for most of the meal, creating interesting bites for us. All the chefs speak excellent English, so it's very convivial and friendly experience.

I've had some pretty incredible sushi experiences in Tokyo, including the world famous Sukiyabashi Jiro, Sushi Mizutani (Jiro's disciple), and many, many others.

As a seafood lover, my favorite restaurant in terms of food is probably Le Bernardin in New York City. One of my favorite dining experiences was at Daniel, where the service, food, everything was so impeccable, it really made for an unforgettable experience. I also love dumplings, and therefore Din Tai Fung in Taiwan (and China!) is also one of my favorite dining places in the world.

Final Thoughts?

I love interacting with my readers through comments the blog. I like to think of the blog as a forum for communication about food. Although I offer lots of information on the blog, I have also learned a lot of things from my readers. The communication totally goes both ways, and I love it that way! So please, feel free to leave comments and say hello. I definitely read every single one. 🙂

Thanks for visiting!

Warmly,

You can contact me at jen{at}tinyurbankitchen{dot}com
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